View Full Version : Any good tool for setting subtitle time codes?
godus
9th December 2003, 22:01
Could someone suggest a good technique to set time codes for a subtitle? Is there any good software tool to do that?
I try to add a subtitle to a movie that has no subtitles (hence no existing time codes for use as a template). I obtained the text with associated MicroDVD time codes from someone, but the time codes are totally out-of-synch. I tried to reset the time codes using the simulation function in Scenerist. But Scenerist proves to be a bad tool for this purpose, very difficult to synchronize the text with the voice.
In the end, I did this the hard way: using WinDVD to view the movie, taking notes on the start/end times for each line, then editing them into the subtitle's .SST file. That method is terrible, extremely slow and painful. It requires several runs through the movie before the subtitle is insynch. In each intermediate run, there are always some lines out-of-synch.
Life must be easier than this. Any suggestions based on your real-life experience are highly appreciated. Thanks.
pepipocpoc
10th December 2003, 14:03
Hi, godus
I think subtitle workshop will do.
Let me know
pepi
ppera2
10th December 2003, 16:13
Subtitle Translator can insert actual time from AVI by key press - this is best what you can have currently...
http://www.mironto.host.sk/translator/
godus
10th December 2003, 16:30
Hi pepipocpoc,
I tried SubtitleWorkshop. It lists the text and time codes. The question is, in order to set the time codes correctly, how can we hear the voice and get its starting time. SubtitleWorkshop can preview some movie types like .mpg, .avi, etc. But it can't open the DVD movie (the IFO/VOB files) that I'm working with. How did you use SubtitleWorkshop to set the time codes for a DVD movie?
Thanks.
pepipocpoc
10th December 2003, 16:42
sorry, godus.
I don't handle vob files. Usually, when I have to deal with subs, its from mpg files. But you can demux (destream?) you VOBs, it's not so long. I once tried a subtitle prog that used sound files instead of mpg for preview (preear would be more accurate), but I can't remember whitch one it was. Perhaps submax.
And maybe you should give a try to ppera suggestion ; it seems quite straightforward, if you can use avi files.
Finally, may I ask whitch movie you want to sub?
Cheers
pepi
godus
10th December 2003, 17:07
@ppera2,
Look like SubtitleTranslator is a useful tool for this purpose. Idealy, it would be perfect if it could show the DVD video + voice + existing subtitle + frame number, so we see what text line is out-of-synch and reposition it. However, at the moment, at least it could open a DVD movie, show the voice + frame number, and it allows us to set the time codes in MicroDVD. So, it's not ideal, but still very helpful. Thanks.
godus
10th December 2003, 17:21
@pepipocpoc,
I've just tried SubtitleTranslator. I'll try submax to see what it could do. By the way, the movie I try to sub is Charlie Chaplin's The great Dictator. This is a public domain film. There must be versions out there with subtitles (that's how the subtitle text I got exists). The version I have at hand has good picture quality but no subtitle at all. At first, I thought adding the sub I got (with all its time codes already available) would be a piece of cake! That's a cake alright, but not as easy to swallow as I thought. :)
ppera2
10th December 2003, 17:29
Originally posted by godus
Hi pepipocpoc,
I tried SubtitleWorkshop. It lists the text and time codes. The question is, in order to set the time codes correctly, how can we hear the voice and get its starting time. SubtitleWorkshop can preview some movie types like .mpg, .avi, etc. But it can't open the DVD movie (the IFO/VOB files) that I'm working with. How did you use SubtitleWorkshop to set the time codes for a DVD movie?
Thanks.
Subtitle Workshop has no options to insert times of subtitle lines simple, but...:
Subtitle Translator can play VOB files too. If it doesn't work following will sure: make AVISynth script with this single line:
Directshowsource("G:\Video_TS\YOUR.VOB")
Of course you need to rip DVD to single VOB for this. If it goes not (FAT32, not NTFS) then rip files as they ar on DVD, and use + to join files in AVISynth.
Directshowsource("G:\Video_TS\VTS_01_1.VOB")+Directshowsource("G:\Video_TS\VTS_01_2.VOB") etc...
Just load that AVS script as video in Subtitle Translator (in FS select all files for filetype).
Of course, you may work with separate VOB's, and later correct their time with some tool, and finally join all parts to single sub file.
ppera2
10th December 2003, 17:37
Ah, Great Dictator... I translated that movie before 1 year ago, by voice. In that time, there was only some French translation available, but it was incomplete and inaccurate, so I needed to correct lot of timecodes, and adding too at many places.
You can try with some existing title for that movie - i made Serbian, but now English is available too, I think that may dl. at http://www.felirat.us
DeKSoft
10th December 2003, 18:45
Subtitle Workshop can play .VOB files (not .IFO for now), only that I forgot to add them to the supported files list :)
To load a VOB you need to go to Movie/Open and as file name type *.VOB and press enter, no file will be loaded but you'll be able to see all .VOB
Take a look at the video preview buttons in SW: Set initial time/Set final time. They are just what you need!
ppera2
10th December 2003, 19:07
Originally posted by DeKSoft
Subtitle Workshop can play .VOB files (not .IFO for now), only that I forgot to add them to the supported files list :)
To load a VOB you need to go to Movie/Open and as file name type *.VOB and press enter, no file will be loaded but you'll be able to see all .VOB
Take a look at the video preview buttons in SW: Set initial time/Set final time. They are just what you need!
That is very unpractic - to click 2 small buttons, or to press 2 different 2-key keycombinations.
I made request to author of Subtitle Translator about it, and he made selectable keys for main functions. It's much better to just press one single key for start and end time - while must be concentrated to catch text...
DeKSoft
10th December 2003, 19:17
Subtitle Workshop 2.03 has got configurable shortcuts! But in doom9 the version is not up to date (I tried sending mail and PM but no answer in more than two months). But beware, you need to choose a key that is not a letter, otherwise, you won't be able to write text of any subtitle that contains that letter :)
And by the way, the default keys are Alt+C (set initial time) and Alt+V (set final time). If you look at your keyboard, C and V keys are together and Alt is very close. So, you keep one thinger pressing Alt, and two thingers above C and V and you simply use two thingers, like if it was a one key combination. That's what I've always done and I find it extremely effective.
godus
10th December 2003, 22:53
You guys are great. Many thanks to all.:)
ppera2
10th December 2003, 23:07
Thanx DekSoft for explanations.
I have version 2.03, but didn't observed in menus possibility for changing shortcuts. And people don't like to read help files too much...
Anyway, it's matter of habit, how people used to insert times. It was programm for Amiga, where times were inserted by pressing space key - simple (in that mode editing wasn't possible).
Pressing Alt whole time is too overworking, also switching keys, even if they are 'neightbours' can cause mistakes. I think that single key for start and end time is best. I set it to Numpad 0. Other hand is free for work with mouse while - also very important.
DeKSoft
11th December 2003, 01:57
I have version 2.03, but didn't observed in menus possibility for changing shortcuts. And people don't like to read help files too much...
See the "shortcuts.key" file in the SW's main directory :)
Mtz
11th December 2003, 03:07
The subtitle of the movie translated in 7 languages, can be found here: http://217.64.35.213/searchs.php
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